Today, the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a new study on retail stores’ promotion of sugar, candy, soda, and other unhealthy foods at checkout.

Food marketing isn’t only advertising: product placement at checkout is a common and powerful tool the food industry uses to manipulate us to buy and eat more calories. Our study found that a wide array of chain stores—ranging from supermarkets and drug stores to hardware and toy stores—push sugary and salty junk food on people as they wait in line.

In fact, 9 out of 10 foods at checkout are candy, soda, and other junk food. Given how difficult it is to eat healthy and the high rates of obesity in children and adults, our study recommends that non-food stores stop pushing food and drinks at checkout and that food stores adopt nutrition standards for the foods they promote at checkout.

“Sugar Overload: Retail Checkout Promotes Obesity,” along with a one-page summary, is available on The Center for Science in the Public Interest Website (www.cspinet.org)

Join me in tweeting to stores to ask them to ditch the junk food at checkout.